Harding gogo one of the first to receive cancer treatment as oncology services resume at Addington Hospital
The second oncology machine has also arrived and is currently being installed.
A 73 year-old gogo, from kwaJali in Harding underwent radiotherapy in the oncology unit at Addington Hospital recently.
The pensioner was the first patient to receive treatment following restoration of oncology services at the hospital, the Department of Health said in a statement.
Dr Nokwanda Zuma and her team treated the grandmother of four who was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Port Shepstone Regional Hospital last year. The treatment lasted less than five minutes.
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Commenting on the treatment, Dr Zuma said the woman had locally advanced cervical cancer which was at a stage where a cure was still possible.
She will be given the whole treatment which includes some external beam radiation, some cervical bracket therapy, and then she will continue being treated. Unfortunately, because of her age, she won’t be given her chemotherapy, which is the standard for her stage of cancer. Her treatment is going to continue for the next three weeks from Monday to Thursday
Dr Zuma further said after three weeks, the woman could return home.
“We will see her again after six weeks so that we can see how she’s doing, and how she’s coping with the treatment. And then we will follow up after three months so see how she’s doing, for about five years.”
Shortly after undergoing the procedure, the woman commented: “I’ve been told that I’m the first patient to be treated at Addington Hospital since the machine was repaired. I’ll be happy if this treatment leads to a cure.”
Acting Head of Department Dr Musa Gumede said one oncology machine was now up and running and patients would now be scheduled to receive treatment.
“The second oncology machine has also arrived at Addington, and is currently being installed. These machines are highly technological, and require software upgrades, calibration and other configurations. But we are confident that it will also be up and running soon. With one machine already working, we have already begun to alleviate pressure from Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital. Once the second one is up and running, we will be able to significantly reduce the burden of oncology cases in the province.”
Oncology services are also available at Inkosi Albert Central, Grey’s Hospital, and in the north of the province, at Ngwelezane and Queen Nandi Hospitals, through an arrangement that the Department has with the Joint Medical Holdings (JMH) Group.
Dr Gumede emphasised that the key to preventing cancer and/or successfully treating it lies in screening and testing, which ensures early detection before the cancer spreads.
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